09:30 Opening (Rector, Tor Grande and NTNU Energy Director, Asgeir Tomasgard)

09:40: Session I: Global Stocktake and the Urgent Need for Policy

This session addresses the gap between current policy and the actions that are required to mitigate climate change, keep global warning under the 2 degree and pursuing the 1.5 degree target. This requires a global effort, and this session frames the discussion we will have during the day by first addressing the state of knowledge from a scientific perspective. Then policymakers are invited to talk about the solutions they plan.

10:30 Break (30 minutes)

11:00 Session I: Plenary Discussion with Expert Panel

This is a dialogue session exploring the impact of geopolitical shifts on the energy transition. Successful climate mitigation will require global cooperation and participation.  The Draghi report points to the need to increase European competitiveness towards the US and China, and at the same time we see increased geopolitical tension. How will deglobalization and emerging trade wars potentially affect priorities for the scaling up of transition solutions and hamper their progress? Does energy security and accelerated decarbonization go hand in hand or are these conflicting objectives?

12:00 Lunch

The energy transition also depends on secure supply chains both in the energy sector itself but also for other sectors in the economy like transport, buildings or industry. Recognizing the interconnected nature of supply chains, this session will expand beyond energy supply to encompass some of the key factors for the supply chains driving a robust economy. Raw materials availability and a circular economy are key. With an increased share of renewables in the energy sector and volatility also in other supply chains, energy efficiency and demand side flexibility play a central role. Discussions will also cover overarching themes for long-term energy security related to robust infrastructures for energy and beyond.   

Access to capital is crucial for accelerating the energy transition. A key challenge will be to use public funding to unlock private capital. An important part of that is how to reduce uncertainty for example by structured approaches to reduce risk, risk sharing and other de-risking strategies. The goal of the session is to outline practical steps and financing mechanisms for building an investment-friendly environment that supports climate goals and sustainable growth, while retaining global competitiveness. 

15:00 Break

This ceremony celebrates the achievements of student teams participating in the Experts in Teamwork (EiT) Mission Net Zero initiative. This NTNU-led project engages students from diverse disciplines in solving real-world challenges related to sustainable and climate-friendly energy transition. Throughout the conferece, students will expo projects they think industry and government needs.

The award ceremony will highlights some of the more innovative and impactful solutions that contribute to achieving net zero emissions. A core value of Experts in Teamwork is interdisciplinary collaboration, which is crucial when addressing the complexities of energy transition and fostering a new generation of experts committed to sustainable change, and the award show will reflect this.

This session showcases a diverse range of potential solutions for the energy transition, encompassing technological innovations, market mechanisms, human capital development, and behavioral change. We relate these solutions to energy transition pathways where we first outline the type of solutions needed, at what time they can be introduced and how they need to scale. Speakers are invited to outline both what barriers may obstruct this scaling of the solutions and how to overcome these barriers in the interaction between humans, technologies, nature and markets.